In the past, a wide variety of systems and brackets have been provided for hanging light fixtures from room ceilings. A typical lighting fixture, however, is today hung directly to an electrical box. The electrical box is wired so that the lighting fixture can be wired directly to the wires therein. A fixture strap can be threaded directly across the electrical box and the lighting fixture canopy threaded to the fixture strap to support the hanging light fixture thereon.
A second common technique for hanging lamps directly to an electrical box uses a threaded lamp hickey attached to a threaded stud in the center of the electrical box. A threaded nipple can then be attached to the hickey with a lock-nut and the canopy can be slid over the threaded nipple and a collar threaded attached thereto for holding the hanging lamp fixture.
A third technique used in wall-mounted fixtures attaches a fixture strap to a rectangular wall electrical box and then attach a nipple extending through the wall fixture to hold the fixture with a center nut threaded to the nipple. Some simpler ceiling lighting fixtures are tab mounted and are attached with mounting screws passing directly through the canopy into the electrical box threaded tabs.
Elongated standard traversely adjustable lighting tracks for use on ceilings and walls have been known for many years. Lighting fixtures of this type are commonly secured by mounting the track against the drywall of the ceiling or wall wherein the lighting fixture is to be secured. Such securement is commonly by screws passing through the track into the studs of a wall or ceiling joists as the case may be, appropriate wiring is passed through the backside of the track in contact with the wall or ceiling through the sheetrock and into an appropriate junction box. In many cases, the wall or ceiling joists are not found at the appropriate locations where the screws are intended to be placed. Without attachment to the joists, the load of the fixture maybe too heavy for the drywall so that the fixture may fall.
Additionally, there are no fixture supports for heavy light fixtures which are decorative and can cover large areas when needed.
Prior to the present invention the hanging of heavy ceiling fixtures required suspension of the fixture directly from ceiling joists. This at times resulted in the fixture being located unsymmetrically in a room. Also more than one person was required to operatively attach the fixture since supports were not generally provided to hold the fixture while wiring and/or affixing it to the ceiling.
It is to be understood that the term "grid" as used herein are the structural elements in walls or ceilings to which a drywall of a ceiling or wall are fastened. The term "grid" includes joists, crossbeams, suspended ceiling grids, wall studs and the like.